Knight Blindness
by Chris Coven Goodmakers
Summary: A new Superhero has come to Gotham on a personal Vendetta, and he clashes fists with Batman and the Gang.


KNIGHT BLINDNESS 

A Short Story by Chris Goodmakers

Chapter One

As night set on the monolithic city, people crawled into there warm beds and fell into a peaceful sleep. Most of them unaware of the things that remain out, the dark, menacing, purely malevolent things that live only to hurt and kill. Things of evil and hatred, things like Eddie Mallow, a runner and enforcer in the Taluca crime family. Eddie, or "club" as his solders and superiors called him, was responsible for the deaths of 7 people that the FBI knew about. Also pending against him was 15 counts of assault, 3 counts of rape, and 1 count of grand larceny. This man was truly evil, and he was the worst kind of evil. An evil that didn't wear a costume, or devise complicated and ingenious schemes for money or power (schemes that were almost always doomed to failure). No Eddie was an all-together different kind of evil, an evil that the ordinary public had almost no knowledge of. He could sit next to you on a bus, or at a rest stop and you wouldn't give him a second look. At least someone like Joker or Killer Croc is isolated from society, and has a style that can be spotted from a mile away. Someone like Mallow however is to smart and to average to have a style. He operates on a almost random level, killing who and when he pleases.

How could such a man be allowed to walk free by those in law, and others in justice? Well the answer to that is easy. Mallow was not native to Gotham; he wasn't native to anyplace really. However about to months ago he dropped of the radar completely. Word on the street was that he was branching out; he had become tired of being an enforcer and was leaving to start his own syndicate. He cut all his ties to the old family, he slit his girlfriends throat, paid his boss a ten thousand dollar severance, and burned his apartment down. The way he was distancing himself from his former life could only mean one thing that what ever he was putting together was going to be big. Because from here on out, there was no turning back.

The few times he surfaced on the grid left trace clues, enough for someone to follow if they tried hard enough. The clues tied him to 5 lowlife hoods based out of Gotham. Insignificant people on the Gotham crime scale. The kind of people who spent most nights as they spent this night, sitting around a card table playing Poker, 2-5, deuces wild. Same every time.

"Ante up" exclaimed Murdock in his scratchy accent. He threw a few twenty-dollar chips on the table and then leaned back in his chair, confident of his hand. Immediately two of the men at the table folded. They knew the all to unsubtle way that Murdock smirked at his 4 of a kind. "Pussies!" he chuckled.

"Count me in!" announced Billy, the youngest in the group, proud of his bravery.

"Oh tough guy!" shot back Murdock, in his raspy, slightly annoying voice. Billy shrugged.

"Hey I could use a little excitement," he said coyly. After the words had left his lips, another voice piped up.

"You Got It!" the voice was light, yet sinister sounding. It sent a shiver down all their spines. They all jumped up from the table, pulling the revolvers out of their jackets. Pulling away from the table they scanned every corner of the room. It was lit vaguely, and the cloud of cigar smoke didn't help there vision either. They hugged together in a tight formation, backs to each other. The five men were scared shitless, shivering at the very thought that the Bat was in the room with them. Billy was straining his eyes against the smoke when he noticed a faint blue glow in the corner. He peeked his head in closer. The light began to glow brighter, revealing the shape of a man. A man covered in an eerie blue glow, like a ghost or specter. The light continued to grow brighter until it illuminated the area around it. Now the gangsters could see him fully. He was tall, and well built. However one of the men, who had had a previous encounter with the Bat noted to him that this guy wasn't as big as him. He seemed to be covered entirely in a black suit, not one piece of skin showing. Over his body was a series of veins or small tubes built into the suit. The tubes contained a strange glowing blue liquid. The blue tubes formed intricate patterns all over his head, body, limbs, and especially on his chest. His face had a pattern like a pair of wings, in the middle of each wing was a sharp blue eye that seemed to rage with ferocity. However his sharp-clawed hands that looked like they could tare a man to pieces distracted most of the men. The creature standing before them was certainly imposing.

Murdock gulped back the lump in his throat and gathered his nerves. Once he had regained his cocky might he stated boldly.

"That aint the Bat! He's just some punk!" at Murdock's exclamation the other men raised their guns at the figure.

"Wow!" exclaimed the blue ghost in a sarcastic way "you must be the smart one!" Murdock took more then just offence.

"Well, I'm smart enough to put a bullet between your eyes" he shot back angrily; the figure raised his hands up in surrender, that's when Murdock noticed the thing in his left hand. It was some kind of half orb embedded into the cusp of his palm; it was surrounded by some kind of ring. The figure was holding the orb down with his two middle fingers. He seemed to be staring straight through the men.

"Well you know the old adage," he exclaimed to them in his soft, yet harsh voice "you can't hit what you can't see!" he took his fingers off the devise and from it came a blinding flash of light. The bright white light filled the entire room and temporarily blinded everyone, everyone that is except him.

As the men covered their eyes and grasped out in front of them the blue blinder started to walk towards Murdock. He made out the blurry figure and aimed his gun towards it. He began to fire as fast as he could, BANG BANG BANG.

On a rooftop near by, drawn in by the flash of light coming from the window of the small building sat a young fiery redhead out alone tonight on patrol. She held a pair of binoculars to the large eyeholes in her mask. She could see the flashes inside and hear the gunshots echoing through the night. She wondered what was going on, if Batman was in there with them there would be no chance for anyone to fire of a gun. Maybe Nightwing had gotten himself into some trouble, but it would be odd for him to be all the way over on this side of town. She decided it would be a good idea to investigate. Pulling a grapnel from her bright yellow belt she aimed it at an overhanging gargoyle on an adjacent building and fired. The talon grapnel shot out with enough force to launch it 100 feet. It wrapped securely around the gargoyle. Batgirl hit the button on the side of the gun and the cable retracted in until it became tight. She grabbed the cable and with a deep breath leaped of the building.

Back in the office Murdock rubbed his eyes and glanced over to were he fired, nothing. No body, no blood, just 8 smoking holes in the wall.

"What the…" he muttered to himself. The others were regaining their sight as well, but they were all still dazed. One of the men stood there shaking like a leaf, when he felt something tap his shoulder. He turned around lowly and was shocked to see two brightly glowing blue eyes. He had little time to scream before a sharp-clawed hand covered his face and dragged him off into the darkness. The others heard the sharp yelp and looked around to se who was missing. They had only a few seconds before a lifeless body was thrown from the darkness onto the card table, sending the poker chips flying. Billy rushed over to the fallen gangster and checked his pulse.

"Is he dead!!!" screamed Murdock, looking behind him at Billy. Billy shook his head and exclaimed

"Na just out of it" Murdock turned back and scanned the room, looking for the masked demon. He heard another scream, looking behind him he realized that another man was missing, and another, until only him and Billy were left standing there.

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!" screamed Billy over and over again, his knees shaking together in pure fear.

"Shut up, just shut the hell up!" screamed Murdock back at him. All of a sudden there came a laugh echoing from the darkness, an unnatural almost inhuman laugh that sent a sharp shiver, like a pair of cold fingers running down there spines.

"Ha Ha Ha, nice watering job there Billy!" exclaimed the voice from the darkness. Billy looked down at his pants, to realize there was a growing wet spot around his crotch. He looked up and began to sob like a girl. Then he heard the voice again "Don't worry Billy, it's not you I want" At those words Murdock began to shiver slightly.

"O ooh yeaaah…" he stammered quivering even more, he clutched his gun tighter and raised it up "why don't you come and try it!" he screamed into the darkness. Again the voice wafted out.

"Sure thing!" the lights began to glow again and the figure emerged once again from the darkness. Murdock smiled and aimed his gun at the blue ghost; he chucked then pulled the trigger. Click Click Click. His levity turned to dismay as he realized his revolver was empty. The blue ghost gestured with his hand and his head in a sarcastic pitying kind of way. Then he swatted the gun away with his sharp and powerful claw. Murdock clutched his hand after the ghostly blinder had scathed it with his claw. The blinder moved in closer and grabbed Murdock by his jacket and lifted him up off the ground. With one powerful heave he through the minuscule by comparison Murdock against the nearby wall. Murdock hit with a massive blow and fell to the ground. He grasped the back of his head as a sharp pain traveled down his back. The glowing ghost approached him slowly. Murdock, looking up at the glowing figure could have easily mistaken him for a god, or other worldly creature. The massive figure loomed over.

"Now I've got a headache, so I'm going to ask you only once" he commanded in that voice, that dark voice that could deafen a man with one whisper. He leaned in closer and picked up Murdock. "Were is Eddie Mallow?" Murdock began to shake his head in fear.

"No, No I don't know were he is…" The blue ghost sank his claw into the wall beside Murdock's head and began to rip the drywall away. "Thaaat… that is to say I never met him, we worked through an… a liaison, a guy named Kurt… Kurt Stevenson" he stammered out the answer.

"What did he want with you guys?" he demanded. Murdock whimpered at the raised voice

"Security, he said he only needed us to run some kind of security bit for him!" Just after he finished his sentence the Blue ghost heard a gun cock behind him. He dropped Murdock and turned around slowly to see Billy standing there holding a gun.

"This one aint empty!" his voice had a power in it, like he was facing down the devil and giving him the finger. The blue shadow laughed slightly, more to himself then at Billy.

"Well well well… looks like little Billy gots some balls!" Billy gripped the gun in his hands so hard it made them white. He slowly began to pull back on the trigger. Billy had never killed anyone before, something for which he got slack from the other guys. But that was all about to change. The hammer on the revolver slowly began to rise higher and higher. Billy never took his eyes off of him, and he never took his sharp, ghostly blue eyes off of Billy. The hammer on the gun was about to reach it's climax when SMASH!!! A window in on the wall behind Billy came crashing through and a beautiful curvy girl with flaming red hair came tumbling through. She rolled along the ground and jumped to her feet, flinging a Batarang in the process. The Batarang flew into the back of one of Billy's knees knocking him to the ground. The revolver in his hand went off sending a bullet into the wall right next to the blue ghost's head. The ghostly figure, completely unfazed by the smoking bullet hole next to his head was more taken aback by Batgirl's stunning appearance. He couldn't help but stare at the petite girl in the Black and yellow costume in front of him.

"Ouch!" he exclaimed in a snappy voice. Batgirl raised her head and looked him up and down.

"Just what are you supposed to be, a Los Vegas sign?" she snapped back, her sharp wit slightly stinging.

"Blindside actually…" Blindside bowed to her in an old aristocratic kind of way, his sarcasm ever present. "And you must be the ever famous Batgirl, one of the big man's many foot solders" Batgirl cruxed her mouth and sneered at Blindside. He just shrugged and turned back to Murdock. He wrapped his right claw around Murdock's face and lifted him up.

"Well I'd like to stay and play, but I really must be going" he exclaimed, turning his head back towards Batgirl slightly "Oh and just in case you were planning on following me…" he spun the ring around the glass bubble on his palm like the dial on a pad lock 3 times. A blue mist came out of the palm of his right hand and covered Murdock's face. His eyes rolled back into his skull and he became limp. Blindside tossed his lifeless body to Batgirl. She caught him and in doing so took her attention away from Blindside. When she looked back up she was surprised to see him gone.

"Wow, it's déjà vu all over again" she sighed to herself. That was quite the encounter, she thought to herself. Wait until the big dude hears about this. She sighed again, lifted Murdock's body up, and dragged him off.

Chapter 2

Kurt slept peacefully in his warm bed, oblivious of the nightmare that hovered over him in the dark. Dreaming of some hot little number with long blond hair, he couldn't be happier. However he suddenly felt a sharp pain on his cheek, why would his dream girl hurt him like that? After a few second he realized that the pain was coming from the outside, from the real world. Kurt slowly opened his eyes, and the first thing he could make out was two hovering blue peepers. He jumped back in his bed, shocked at what he could only assume was a nightmare within his dream. However the pain on his face, and the bit of blood running down his cheek convinced him otherwise.

"Whha whaaa…" Kurt stammered, his body paralyzed with fear. Blindside leaned in closer.

"Hey Kurt!" a certain levity wafted over his voice, not the kind of tone you would expect from an imposing figure like him. "Sorry bout the rude awakening" Kurt exhaled, not so much in relief but more in good humor. He clutched his forehead and a clump of his fair blond hair, he could feel a vain throbbing against the palm of his hand. That must explain the pounding headache he had, a headache he often had after a night out at the "Iceberg Lounge".

"Who are you, what do you want?" he whispered, as loud noises aggravated his already aggravated condition. Blindside leaned in closer and exclaimed in a louder then necessary voice

"Well Kurt, I'm looking for an old _friend_" he made air quotations with his clawed finger around the word "Friend" "and a little bird with a nasty gambling habit told me you were the guy to find him" That subtle clue was all Kurt needed to know to know Murdock and his fellow thugs had finked on him. Angered, Kurt increased the clutch on his forehead. He grimaced and grinded his teeth together. After taking his death grip off of his face, Kurt looked up at Blindside and offered an unwise piece of advice…

"Why don't you go to hell, and take your Halloween costume with you!" Blindside turned his head to his side and narrowed his sharp blue eyes. Looking down at the floor, then up to the corresponding wall, then sharply back to Kurt. With one move so swift it would catch a cat off guard he grabbed Kurt by the collar of flannel pajamas and lifted him up off the bed.

"Wrong answer" his tone had changed to a quite ferocity, it made Kurt's blood curdle. He dragged Kurt over the large open glass door he had come in earlier, with Kurt kicking and screaming all the way. Dragging Kurt over to the balcony of his 16'Th story penthouse, Blindside had one purpose in mind. He forced Kurt up the ledge and let him have a good look at the abyss below. In a turn of events that was most unexpected Kurt began to laugh.

"Ha ha ha, man you are borrowing old tricks, I seen the Bat do this same thing to 3 guys before. Why don't you try something new and not just steal someone else's material!" he continued to laugh Blindside's glowing blue face. Blindside loosened his grip on Kurt, he began to nod his head.

"Yeah know what, your absolutely right, we are kind of alike I guess" he exclaimed in a dismissive tone. He sharply looked into Kurt's eyes, his own eyes widening "oh except there is one tiny little difference!" Kurt felt a little trepidation when he asked what the difference was. Blindside walked closer to Kurt, forcing him to lean back against the railing over the edge of the balcony. Blindside's eyes sharpened again and he replied

"I'm _NOT_ Batman!" with a swift heave Blindside pushed Kurt over the edge, he screamed and grasped the air in front of him. Blindside watched with a certain nonchalant ness as he fell backward off the building.

After a few seconds Blindside strolled up to the edge to see Kurt hanging precariously by his fingers four stories down from a ledge only a foot long. Blindside climbed over the railing and with no ounce of fear jumped off. He fell the four stories until, with the balance of a dove landed on the small ledge that Kurt was holding onto. Walking methodically with one foot in front of the other, he strolled up to Kurt. Kurt, who by now had disgraced his under garments, was sobbing like a girl.

"Your not supposed to do this!" he cried, "Your not supposed to kill people!" Blindside shook his head at Kurt

"There you go confusing me with someone else!" he shouted against the sound of the whistling wind and traffic below. The wind was cold and ran over Kurt's fingers like a butcher's knife. His hands trembled and his fingers dug in so hard to the concrete that it was beginning to scrape the skin off. "So how about telling me were Eddie Mallow is!" Blindside's request was beginning to seem more reasonable.

"Ok, Ok I'll tell you!" he screamed up at the form above him "I don't know were he _is_, but I know were he _will_ be! There's a freighter coming into Gotham harbor in two weeks! Aug 8th!" Blindside hovered his foot over Kurt's left hand.

"What's in this freighter!?" Blindside began to put his foot down. Urgently Kurt replied

"I don't know!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. "He never told me, when I asked he said it was none of my business!" Blindside thought that that was logical enough to believe, he reached down and grabbed Kurt by the cuff of his arm and hoisted him up onto the ledge. Kurt hugged the wall and started crying.

"Hey man!" exclaimed Blindside while tapping on Kurt's shoulder "you ok, you got a good hold there?" Kurt nodded his head. Blindside patted him on the shoulder, turned around, and leaped of the ledge.

"HEY!" Kurt screamed desperately "You can't just leave me here!" he looked around for Blindside but all he saw was the 12-story drop. He went back to clasping the wall.

Chapter 3

Batgirl had used her communicator to get a hold of the big Bat himself. He told her, in his usual coded talk to meet him in an ally by fifth and Burn and to bring Murdock with her. Batgirl obeyed and carried the man's hulking but lifeless body the block to the hidden ally. When she arrived she found him and the always-impressive Batmobile waiting.

"Hey, yeah couldn't have made the meeting point any farther?" she exclaimed in a not-so mildly sarcastic attitude. Batman, unfazed ordered her to put him in the car. Barbara complied, but while she was squeezing Murdock into the right seat of Batman's shiny black hotrod she realized that since the car was only a two seat'er, and since there was no way in a cold hell that Batman would let her drive it back to his Cavernous hideout and leave him stranded, so NOOOO she was gonna get left in this cold dank ally while the Big Bad Batman took this Goomba back to the Batcave to wait until he woke up and the interrogate him for information. What a rip!

Sure thing as soon as she was done strapping the guy in Batman jumped in the drivers seat.

"Keep on patrol!" he exclaimed in a cold detached voice. Barb thought about rolling her eyes, but decided to leave that pleasure for after he had left. The cockpit like roof on the Batmobile slid shut and the engine started up with an unsettling roar. The tires squealed and the large automobile drove off down the ally. Batgirl rolled her eyes around, and walked off.

Batman drove back to the Batcave in a series of underground tunnels that interconnect like a spider web under Gotham. After about a 10-minute drive Batman pulled out of one of the tunnels entrances and into a long dirt road lined by tall oak trees. The leaves swished under the tires of the massive black Batmobile. Over the horizon peaked a cliff, with a large rock face on the other side. Without ever taking his foot off the gas Batman reached down and flipped a toggle switch on his airplane like dash. A large steel drawbridge emerged from the rock face, swung down and connected with the edge of the cliff just in time for the Batmobile to connect with it. He drove the car into the large entrance way and up a narrow winding metal driveway suspended above a cavernous abyss and onto a rotating platform near a massive plateau. The car came to an abrupt halt and the cockpit slid open. Batman quickly jumped out and grabbed Murdock. He hauled him over to what looked like a cold steel surgical table. Murdock's body fell against the table with a dull Kathunk. Batman walked over to a table, his long black cape draping along the ground like some kind of horrid bridal trail. He reached his hand out from under his cloak and delicately lifted syringe up from a cornucopia of medical supplies. Swiftly and silently he walked back to the table that Murdock lay upon. Rolling up the sleeve of Murdock's brown sweater, Batman slipped the needle into his arm and proceeded to remove a small amount of blood. The Batman then walked over to the monolithic computer that was the centerpiece of his gloomy cave. A few drops of blood on a small sensor and some short keystrokes on the mammoth keyboard and within seconds the computer began to click and clack away. After a few moments a mechanical voice came from the colossal supercomputer.

"Trexadixil Monosluthimate, a potent sedative that acts quickly rendering the subject unconscious for up to 2 days depending on dose. Trexadixil has be known to cause short term memory loss" the machine talked with a cold emotionless voice. Batman scratched the part of his face that poked through his fearsome cowl.

"Guess I wont be getting much out of him," he reflected aloud. He sighed, a luxury left only for when he was absolutely alone. Reaching up around the nose of his mask he pulled back removing the cowl. Underneath the demonic Batman laid the devilishly good looks of Bruce Wayne. He brushed back his neatly cut black hair and sighed again. The fatigue of a hard nights work had begun to catch up to him. He was about to turn in for the night when he heard the distant roar of a tightly tuned motorcycle engine. He looked and saw a light traveling up the large winding bridge. Although he put his cowl back on, this did not alarm Bruce, he knew full well who it was.

The man on the black speed bike was "Nightwing" aka. Richard Grayson. Nightwing was in his own way just as menacing as his former mentor, the young acrobat's costume of choice was a black body suit with a giant blue bird on the chest and a black eye mask. As the bike approached Batman noticed another person on the back, tightly clutching his little hands to Nightwing's side. This boy in the red and green costume with a sharp yellow "R" over his heart was Tim Drake, or better known as Robin.

Nightwing brought the bike to a stop next to the Batmobile. He flicked down the kickstand with his foot and dismounted. Robin dismounted as well, only slower so as not to weaken his already precarious constitution. While he searched for the nearest ledge to hurl over, Nightwing walked up to Bruce.

"Who's the stiff?" he exclaimed in a half kidding way, Batman kept a matter of fact face as always. This didn't make Dick fell at all awkward, mostly because he had been around Batman all his life and new that humor was not one of his better traits

"Charles Murdock, a lowlife. Batgirl said she found him being accosted by someone calling himself…"

"Blindside!" interrupted Nightwing. Batman was a little surprised, although he dare not show it. "Barb got me on the communicator, that's how I knew I had to give Puke boy over there a lift home" Nightwing referenced over to Robin, who was empting his stomach contents over the edge of the steal platform into a dark abyss.

"Next time I'll walk home!" he exclaimed in between regurgitations. Dick turned back to Batman.

"So what do you think?" he asked, "Think we got a little competition in town?" Nightwing's tone was almost excited. Naturally he would be at the prospect of a new masked vigilante who wasn't going to threaten the city for money "or else". Batman kept a steady face, as always.

"This kind of man could be dangerous, he operates outside the law. To what end is yet to be clear" He exclaimed in that steady deep voice. The Batman had that way with words that could make you both fear and understand him. Nightwing nodded his head in agreement, choosing wisely to bite his lip. He went to head back to his bike when Batman stopped him. "Take him back to the city" he ordered, referencing to the stone cold Murdock on the table.

Technically Nightwing was answerable to Batman anymore, but Batman had that way, were if he ordered you followed. Nightwing nodded again and went to collect Murdock. He picked him up off the table and hauled him over his bike. After securing him in the back seat, he climbed on the black sharp bike and fired up the engine. After spinning the back tire for a second he sped off down the steel road and out back into Gotham.

After Nightwing had left, and Robin had regained his stomach stability Bruce decided it was a prudent idea to turn in for the night. Not a decision he felt was the right given the unfolding circumstances, but rather a wise one. To comfort his decision he remembered the words of and old sensei that had once taught him

"More battles are lost by fatigue and stubbornness then lack of knowledge" comforting words indeed.

Bruce wasn't the only one turning in for the night. Across the city, at a rather dilapidated looking Hotel given to renting rooms by the hour a man crept in the back window of a 3rd floor room. His ghostly blue glowing figure slightly illuminated by the rising sun behind him. He climbed in the window and made sure to close the window and curtain behind him. Blindside then walked over to the still neatly made bed. Placing his deep-clawed hand over his face, he pulled his ghostly mask off and discarded it on the bed. Under the fearsome guise of Blindside was a rather normal looking man in his mid 30's with short brown hair and a trim brown goatee. Just as his mask alluded to, he himself had rather bright blue eyes. He slowly began to remove his sharp gauntlets and place them neatly on the bed. He began to slowly remove his shirt, but paused as the course fabric brushed over the extensive burn scars spread over his back. The scares weren't painful, but it was rather the sensation that disturbed him, as well as the harsh memories. Memories that held a sharp pain that was impossible to recover from. After the short pause he continued to undress, when he was done he took the macabre costume and stored in neatly in a briefcase that he later placed under the bed. The man under Blindside then plopped himself on the bed and covered his adjusting eyes with his forearm, a way to block out the rising sun and following daylight.

Chapter 4

Another day for Gotham came… and went, and the city was once again visited by the haunting presence of night. Blindside decided on an early start, or more specifically an early start at the Gotham shipping office after closing. He crept across the rooftop of the building and up to a skylight that hung over the main lobby of the building. After breaking the window latch with a slash of his mighty claw he slowly lifted the window up and began to climb in. with a graceful leap he jumped from the windows ledge to an overhanging pipe. Displaying the skill of an acrobat, but the grace of a Bird he grabbed the pipe in mid air and flung around to plant his feat on the wide cylinder of the pipe's surface. Absolutely no noise what so ever came from his fluent action. He watched slowly as a night guard made his way across the floor not 2 feet down, and didn't even notice the open window above him. After the guard left the room Blindside, displaying a stunning vary of acrobatics used the ductwork and a window to climb down to the floor. Once he was down he looked around quickly for the records room. The door was on the other side of the large foyer. He quickly jogged over to it. The door was locked but Blindside took quick care of that by jabbing his index finger into the keyhole and moving his sharp claw around, the lock clicked, and he entered.

The room was dark and full of filing cabinets; Blindside spun the ring on his palm and the bubble turned into a rather useful flashlight. He scanned the room with his palm light until he came across a cabinet marked "future arrivals". After breaking the lock on it with his index claw he opened it up and fingered though the files. He came across a folder marked "Aug. 8 arrivals". Blindside removed the file and opened it up, the document he saw was strange. It had a ship name, the "Genova". It had a date of arrival, but the cargo index, time of arrival, crew manifest; even the ships point of origin was all missing. The only other clue on the document was that the ship was registered out of Colombia.

Blindside folded the document up and stuck it in his leg. He was about to close the drawer of the cabinet when he saw a blink of light out of the corner of his eye. Someone else was in the room with a flashlight, also looking for something. Blindside spun the ring on his palm and every light on his body dimmed, rendering him nearly invisible to the naked eye. He crept around the corner stealthily, looking around as he slid along the cabinets. He saw the large black figure ominously floating around the isle between the cabinets. He was searching the names on them as well. The black figure seemed blacker then the night its self. Blindside wouldn't be able to see him if not for the visors in his mask, that made night day. As quite as a mouse Blindside slowly withdrew from the room, but like he had a 6th sense Batman jolted his head up. Immediately he knew someone else was in the room with him. He shown his flashlight to be Blindside had been. If he hadn't have moved but a second before the Bat would've discovered him for sure. The Batman narrowed his menacing white eyes. He began to walk towards Blindside, who was beginning to feel like a mouse trapped in a corner, and the Cat just seemed to be getting closer, and closer. Blindside felt he had o resort to what he had to his advantage. He pressed the orb on his palm down, and right away could feel the charge growing. The bat must've felt it to because he instantly halted his advance; those white eyes stared into the black corner that Blindside hid. However they didn't seem to stare into it, but rather through it. Through him. Blindside still clenched the orb in his palm, tighter now. The Bat withdrew. After he saw that the Batman had left the room he breathed a sigh of relief and canceled the flash bang from his palm. After a few second pause Blindside decided it would be safe to leave. He slowly walked over to the door and out. As he was leaving he turned around to shut the door, when he turned back he was confronted by a massive figure. The Batman towered over him like some monolith fear. Blindside stopped dead, the pale glow of his body lights casting a ghostly glow on the Dark Knight. Batman didn't say anything; he just stood there and stared into Blindside's sharp blue eyes. Blindside would've reached for the staff he kept on his back, but for the paralyzing fear that ran through his body. No one had made him feel this way in a long time, feel like a child that is. Then Batman spoke, and Blindside's heart stopped. "Who are you?" the words ran through Blindside's spine like a foul wind. He would've answered right away but he was afraid he would stammer and his fear would be undeniable. So instead he took a second to collect himself. "Blindside!" he exclaimed forcefully, trying to show that he would stand his ground. "And you would be..." he added, trying to break the moment with humor. It didn't work, Batman just looked at him with those eyes. The silence seemed to last forever, until it was finally broken by the night guard entering the room. He gasped in horror at the two monsters standing in the room with him. Batman diverted his attention to the man in shock and that was all Blindside needed to make his escape. He bolted as fast as he could. As swift as he ran Batman turned around and whipped a Batarang at him with lightning speed. However Blindside saw it coming, he tumbled along the ground, allowing the Batarang to fly just inchesOver his head. As he came up he stuck his hand out, palm open. Before blinding flash could go off Batman covered his eyes with his massive black leather cape. It was enough to stop the light from rendering him sightless. After the flash dissipated he lowered his cape to see Blindside climbing up out the skylight he came in. Reaching into his belt Batman pulled out a Grapnel gun. He shot it up at the window and it secured it's self nicely to the ledge. He lifted of and hit the retract button. It lifted him up at great pace. As soon as he exited the open skylight he searched around for Blindside, he saw Him running across the roof. Batman gave chase. Blindside looked behind him and saw the ominous force following him, cape unfurled in the wind. He began to run faster, but the Bat only matched his pace. He saw the edge of the building approaching fast, and then without a moment of hesitation he ran and Leapt of the edge as hard as he could. Arms out stretched he fell towards the pavement. On his way down his hands made sudden contact with a flagpole, he used his own momentum to spin around. He landed on the pole balancing on the cusp of his feet. Batman watched the way he moved, something about it seemed familiar, like he had seen the exact same thing done before. This man had a grace that was unmatched by any other he had faced, a movement that was almost poetic. Blindside stood up straight on the pole and looked back at the caped crusader. They stared deep into each other's eyes, as if to speak a reverence for one another. After a brief pause Blindside jumped off the pole and fell into the night. Batman did not give chase, he knew there was no need, they would encounter each other again and soon. As Batman walked back across the roof his communicator beeped, he pulled it out of one of the pockets on his mustard yellow belt. He clicked a button and the young face of the boy wonder appeared. "Hey, just got some info you might like!" exclaimed Robin, excited about his good news "according to the police scanner, a man by the name of Kurt Stevenson was pulled of a 14th story ledge by Gotham fire and rescue this morning. When the police interviewed him he claimed a man with sharp claws and glowing blue eyes threw him over" Batman jolted his eyes up, as much of surprise as he could ever show. He then put 2 and 2 together; this Blindside was on a mission. He had some vendetta and this Kurt was somehow linked to it. There was only one way to find out how. He adjusted his eyes back down to the communicator. "Were is he now?" he barked, Robin replied right away "Gotham general, for observation" "Batman out!" he shut of the communicator faster then Robin could get his next word out. Without a second thought he grabbed a grapnel from his belt and shot it up at a nearby crane. Once it latched one he swung off. He had to get to the hospital as fast as he could, this meant employing a little 4-wheel transportation. He got to the nearby ally were he had parked the Batmobile, with a flick of a remote he had the cockpit slid open and he jumped in. after flicking on a couple toggle switches the massive vehicle fired to life, a spout of flame shot out of a back exhaust port. Batman slammed on the gas, and the car flew of down the street. Kurt lied peaceful in his hospital bed, dreaming once again of that buxom blond, all of a sudden he felt a sharp draft flow over his body. Daring the gods by opening his eyes he saw a large shadow draped over him. The shadow emanated from the menacing silhouette crouched at the entrance of his hospital room window. Kurt began to shudder with fear. Having learned his lesson from the night before he screamed "Alright I'll tell you everything you want to know!" Batman raised the right corner of his mouth, a half smile to express his delight. Kurt's interrogation was short, and pretty soon he had told the Bat everything he had told the Blue Ghost. Batman retreated from his room, and back to the Batmobile. First thing he did was contact Robin on the in car communicator. Again the young masked boy's face came across the screen. "Meet me at the old Burk building, I just found out that Blindside is looking for a gangster named Eddie Mallow, and that Mallow is coming in next week on a ship. I think well need to talk to Penguin. If anyone knows what's coming into Gotham he does" Robin nodded his head, but in his mind he thought it was weird that Batman was telling him all this, usually he just barks orders and leaves the revelations for the last moment. Robin just shrugged it off and waited for Batman's arrival. The two met up about thirty minutes later and hit the road for the Iceberg lounge. To get there they had to take the Gotham freeway, a long stretch of road that went from one end of the city to the other. Batman was doing a good sped when on the freeway when he noticed a single headlight approaching from behind. Odd, the light seemed to be gaining on the massive jet powered car. He began to hear the sound of a tightly wound motorcycle engine, but different from one he had heard before. The bike was getting closer now, that's when he noticed that the bike was covered in blue lights that seemed to be streaking behind it like some kind of demonic streamer. Batman knew then who it was. He tramped the gas. The batmobile began to pull away but Blindside twisted the throttle on his bike and it began to catch back up. Faster and faster the biked traveled, and faster and faster the Batmobile traveled, till the two were almost matched in speed. Blindside flipped up a toggle cover on his handle and flipped the switch forward. The Bike was injected wit a shot of nitrous an it threw him forward at immense speed. He bounced the front up and in an instant he was traveling up over the Batmobile. Batman and Robin heard the Kathunk on the roof of their car and looked up to see the two wheels of the bike driving over top of them and down the long hood of the Batmobile. He jumped of the hood and was now effectively in front of them, Batman began to slow down. Blindside swerved his bike to the side and stopped in front of them, Batman came to a stop as well. Blindside rested his foot on the asphalt and reached into a side bag on his bike. He pulled out 3 silver disks the size of a small plate. He held them between his fingers like a suit of cards. "Nice car!" he shouted over to Batman, his reference to the monolithic Batmobile. "Gets great reception!" he commented, Batman knew instantly what he was talking about, he reached down and turned on a small monitor in the dash. A red text bleeped on the screen "Foreign Object Detected". The screen then showed a schematic of the Batmobile and a small red dot located right underneath the car. Batman knew right away that Blindside had heard every word he had said to Robin. That meant that he too was now on his way to confront one Oswald Cobblepot. And he couldn't run the risk of Batman trying to stop him. "So Sorry for the inconvenience, please accept this gift!" Shouted Blindside as he swiftly threw the 3 discs at the car. They flew through the air and latched onto the metal of the Batmobile's hull. Like the legs of some blue spider electricity spread from their glowing centers and shut off everything in the car. Batman put his arm over Robin's chest and forced him back into the seat, making sure to keep him safe from the electricity surge on the dash. After a few seconds everything in the car was black and dead. Batman grabbed a emergency handle next to his seat and began to pump it, the cockpit of the Batmobile slowly opened with every jerk. Finally Batman heaved it open and climbed out to catch a glimpse of Blindside zooming away on his bike, a faint blue light trail ghosting behind him like some spiritual companion. Robin quickly climbed out and joined the Bat on the side of the highway. "So what now?" he asked in his child like coyness. Batman reached into his belt and pulled out a communicator, he flipped it on and there appeared the face of Nightwing, the dark acrobat. "You are go" Nightwing nodded to Batman's flat command. He was a block away from the iceberg Lounge, the premiere restaurant and base of operations for one Oswald "Penguin" Cobblepot. Firmly planting his feet on the ledge of the tall building he was standing on he reached down at his side and unfolded a thin blue gliding skin that connected from his side to under his arms. With his arms outstretched and the skin firmly unfolded he took one last deep breath and preformed something he had learned from a few monks from in the deep mountains of Tibet, that of flight. Well I guess it was more considered gliding but nonetheless Nightwing soared over the few building tops below him. He could see the traffic on the streets far below, including the streaking blue motorcycle approaching fast along west Boulevard. Destination, the Iceberg lounge. He saw the bike and it's blue light clad rider pull into an ally just adjacent to the stunning club. Nightwing landed on the corresponding rooftop. He looked down into the ally; Blindsides appearance struck him at first. He seemed to be only a specter held together by strands of interconnected blue light, with two free floating blue eyes that stabbed at the night. Then he passed under a street lamp and in the illumination of the dull yellow light Nightwing's attention was drawn to his sharp claws, claws could be a very deadly advantage in a fight. As Batman's protégé Nightwing had been taught the sanctity of life, and as such would never dream of taking it, including the life of the man who robbed him of his parents. A man that, thankfully was serving life without the possibility of parole or reprieve in Stonegate penitentiary. Nightwing thought for a brief moment about him, and how know he was probably in his 4 by 8 cell, sharing his night with a man 6'3 280 pounds. That thought brought Nightwing a moments happiness, as it often did. However he quickly brought his attention back to the task at hand. Batman had contacted him and told him that he had discovered a transceiver device under his car. He said that the person who had planted it was undoubtedly the same man that had been causing all this excitement around town (ok so Nightwing was paraphrasing Batman, no way the Bat would ever say "excitement" in a serious sentence) and that he was going to set him up for the take down. Batman always said that you must sometimes bait a fish with the truth, and so by saying that the penguin had information prevalent to Blindside's mission, he created a trap to tempting to resist. Batman was obviously putting a lot of faith in Nightwing to confront this man, and he intended to live up to the Bat's expectation. Nightwing watched closely as Blindside stalked through the street. The lounge was open for business and patrons were waiting in a huge line to enter the club. Tonight Joey Marina and his big band were performing. A hot ticket for upper crust Gothamites. Blindside snuck around the buildings back. A dark alleyway with a back service entrance guarded by a rather large man in a full tuxedo. Blindside watched the man for a second, he just stood there looking menacing, that was probably his written job description. With a quick spin of the ring on his palm Blindside rendered himself once again virtually invisible. He slipped by the guard with ease to the other side of the building, were he saw his way in. a large window to an office. He walked up to the brick wall and sunk his claws in. the grip he got was more then enough to scale up the wall and come to the window. It was conveniently open. He climbed inside. Inside was a dark office that seemed to be vacant for the moment. Blindside moved towards the door when he noticed the knob begin to turn. He quickly jumped to the side. The door opened, covering Blindside from immediate view, and in stepped a small portly man with a long pointed nose and a crisp clean monocle over his left eye. From his appearance and swaggering waddle Blindside could only assume that this was the infamous Penguin. He heaved the door shut; creating a slam that sent poor Oswald's heart threw his chest. He spun around quickly, well as quickly as his stout little body could take him. "What in the name of cowl'd confrontations!?" he shouted. When the reflection of his monocle was filled with the glow of Blindside's lights he stopped himself dead. "well what this be?, this is a most unexpected turn of events. Before me stands not the curiously caped chiroptera, or his humorless hatchlings, no instead we have blue conflagrating specter" Blindside considered himself a learned man, but half of what the penguin had just said flew over his head. "You must be the Penguin" he stated the obvious. The penguin snappily replied "his powers of perception, though dubiously hidden behind two bright blue peepers, would marvel that of a dexterous detective" The penguin had a way of talking that was both skillful, and convoluted. "I'll take that as a yes!" answered back Blindside. Penguin nodded his rounded head. He adjusted his top hat slightly and walked over to his desk. "So what ponderous query has brought you to my place of enterprise" he shot back, lifting his coattails and sitting awkwardly in his little desk chair. Blindside walked towards the desk, his colossal size striking an instant of fear in the little man's heart. However he just reassured himself that he had once stolen a top-secret aircraft and held the city ransom, this was enough to inflate his substantial ego. He cleared his throat and pulled down his tuxedo vest. Blindside laid both his fearsome claws on the desk for Penguin to see. "I here that you have information about a ship coming into Gotham Harbor in two weeks. The Genova out of Columbia?" he exclaimed to the stout birdman. Penguin rolled his eyes over the desk in thought, taking the time to glance over Blindside's claws. "I believe all I heard was a ship, that was scheduled to be in dock in two weeks, was to be met by a convoy of trucks, that would move from there to the Gotham freeway" he explained in a calm, collected manor. He rolled his two flipper-like hands over his large oak desk. The main mass of his left flipper rolled over a little ceramic penguin. "Thank you for all your help" exclaimed Blindside in a pleasant, truly appreciative attitude. Penguin jolted a quick smile across his face, and then returned to his usual frown. "It is of no consequence" his voice was drab and hostile "your efforts will be seriously diminished by my fare feathered bueties separating your ribs from your sternum!" he shouted, his flipper depressed the head on the little ceramic penguin and a loud alarm sounded. Blindside looked around panicked, he was going to head for the window but a frame of steel bars slid down faster then he could reach it. He then went for the door, but was greeted by three lovely ladies in rather low cut black uniforms, with long grey leggings and black bowler hats. The red, blond, and black haired girls just stared at Blindside menacingly. "Hello" exclaimed Blindside nervously. He greeting was met by a sharp yell and a swift high kick to the face. He grunted and fell to his right, when he went down another one of the girls offered up a sharp punch to his kidney. He grunted in pain and swung back with a lash of his claw. The girls avoided the slash by back flipping with the skill of gymnasts. After Blindside had fallen with his slash the girls came back with another volley, one punch to the stomach, a kick to the legs, an uppercut to the face. For a moment Blindside was off defense. He had fell back into the office, were Penguin sat just enjoying his girl's handiwork. He climbed to his feet, his back to the offices large glass window that overlooked the main dining hall. Two of the girls clasped their hands together, while the other got a good run in her jump. She stepped on the two girls clasped hand and they launched her towards Blindside. He was sent flying through the window and into a long fall over the hall. He could see the dining room floor approaching fast, so he employed his quick thinking and adjusted his fall into a dive. He just reached the large Walrus pool in the center of the room. The water, though cold and sharp was a much better place to land then the hard wood floors. The lounges patrons were shocked and jumped to there feet. They gasped as Blindside entered the water and didn't come out for a good moment. Penguins girls made there way down to the main floor and over to the pool to see if there target had succeeded in breaking his neck. As they looked over the edge of the railing into the water they saw nothing, just the Walruses splashing about. They looked at each other with a glow of satisfaction, and then came the large splash. Blindside launched himself out of the water with enough force to fly over the girls and land behind them. He hit the ground and sharply looked up, a fire burning in his sharp blue eyes. Standing up straight he reached behind and grabbed a long black staff with two glowing lights at both ends and one in the middle. He held the staff out and with a mighty turn, twisted it and snapped it in two to create two smaller staffs. He then flung the staffs out with a great jolt, this was enough to separate it into two handles connected by a glowing blue chain. At his disposal now was two deadly looking nun-chucks, each end had a blue light that streaked through the air as he spun them around with great expertise. The girls felt a great deal of anxiety. However there fears were calmed by the arrival of 6 of Penguins larger tuxedo gowned security guards. Blindside looked around at the considerable force surrounding his position. He spun the radiant nun-chucks faster and in more complex patterns. Finally one of the guards rushed him. He was quickly reduced to an unconscious heap on the ground by the quick THWAPP of Blindside's instruments. After he fell to the ground the rest of Blindsides attackers rushed in. With a dance of skill and artistry Blindside slashed and slammed every one of the people around him. He danced under there swings and kicks. As one of the guards punched towards his face he flipped backwards coming up with his foot kicking him right in the law. He bowed and spun under their throws with such refinement that only the occasional brush of a punch glanced over his back or face. He fought faster and harder and increased his counter-attack that with every punch attempted by an attacker, he landed ten blows or slashes. His attackers began to tire and as such became sloppy and uncoordinated. This meant they were perfect for the take down. Blindside began to finish them off. He slammed his nun-chucks across their faces and arms so hard that a few times he heard the distinct sound of bone snapping. After he was done every one of them lay on the ground clutching an extremity. He looked around at his attackers then up at Penguin, who watched the event from his shattered glass window. Blindside flicked him a little hat tip gesture and proceeded out the main door. He exited the Iceberg Lounge and headed over to the ally were he parked his bike. To his surprise a man already sitting on it greeted him, a man with a large blue bird on his chest. "Nice bike!" exclaimed Nightwing, looking it over. "So, just what is it you want in Gotham Mr. Blindside" he looked up and over at Blindside, who was not very pleased with this man's arrogance, an arrogance that he sometimes prided in himself. "Death, destruction, mayhem… you know the usual" his reply was sarcastic condescending. He smirked to himself, although the full-face mask hid that fact from Nightwing. Nightwing dismounted the bike. Blindside took the time to reassemble his staff and put it back into the sheath built in the back of his suit. He looked into the white eyes of Nightwing's mask. "What's it to you what vendetta I hold?" "I represent higher interests" he scowled. Blindside nodded his head and tsk'd his lip. "Seems like you can't throw a stone in this town without hitting one of the Bat's lackeys. He sure has a monopoly on crime fighting" Blindside's observation stirred rage in Nightwing's heart. He had great respect for Batman, and anyone who expresses a view contrary to that was usually a criminal. However, perplexing enough Blindside seemed to be working for good, a good based on his own agenda, but a good nonetheless. "Well this has been swell, but I really must get going" he went to walk past Nightwing, but Nightwing stepped in front of him. This annoyed Blindside even further. "Trust me kid, you don't want any part of this," he growled, his teeth clenched in a death grip. "What are you doing in Gotham?" "What has to be done" Blindside shoved his way past Nightwing, who the turned around and pulled out two black batons. "You're coming with me!" he shouted. Blindside stopped and turned around to see Nightwing poised to attack. "Ok, I surrender" he exclaimed while raise his hands in the air. he began to approach Nightwing. As he came closer and closer Nightwing became anxious. As soon as Blindside was in arms reach, with a move to fast to see he slashed at one of the batons and knocked it across the ally. Nightwing came down with the other one but Blindside dipped back avoiding it striking his shoulder. He then came back up with a slash to the sternum, leaving a 4-finger mark torn across the front of Nightwing uniform. Some blood dribbled out of the cuts. He clutched at it instinctively, and saw the blood run over his glove. Wiping it away he tightened his grip on his remaining baton and rushed Blindside. With a swift move he struck him across the jaw, knocking him to his knees. Blindside was only down a second before he spun his leg out and knocked Nightwing off his feet. Nightwing began to fall but sharply turned it into a tumble. He landed on the ground poised. Blindside was of considerably bigger size, but Nightwing had an unmatched speed. Blindside felt the fight had gone on long enough. He had no intention of hurting the young man; just a quick drawing of blood was enough to prove both their points. Blindside held his hand out to halt any attack Nightwing was planning. "Neither you, or your boss has any right to interfere in my business. What I do, I do for myself and not for your thoughtless crusade" "THOUGHTLESS!!!!" Nightwing screamed, not taking an instant likening to having his life's work called thoughtless. He calmed himself down before he spoke again "You know what! I don't need this shit. If it's some personal vendetta you're on fine, but I won't let you bring Gotham down with you!" 

"What is it you people find so special about this hell hole of floating concrete and endless crime? Is it something corporeal, or merely sentimental?" Blindside's question had real curiosity in it, Nightwing new that if someone would ask that question, they would never really understand the answer. After a few seconds of silence Blindside continued the conversation "So, you wanna fight some more, or should I just be on my way" Nightwing didn't reply, he just stood there irately standing his ground. Blindside shrugged and turned around, heading for his bike.

Suddenly he felt something sharp pierce his back, before he could react a strong electrical current that instantly brought him to his knees besieged his body. He grunted in pain. Between the painful spasms and electrical jolts he caught a glimpse of Nightwing standing over him with a Taser in his hand. Blindside was on his hands and knees now, grunting with all his might against the pain. With one hand he reached behind his back, he slowly gripped the wires connected to the hooks that were holding onto his back. The hold on the wires increased the pain in his body. With a hard pull he tore it from his skin, severing one of the blue veins on his suit and pouring the glowing blue gel on the ground. The pain from the electrical current had subsided substantially. He quickly wrapped the wires around a steel fence pole, which sent the current back to Nightwing. The Taser began to glow red-hot, he threw it down quickly, but that distraction was all Blindside needed to get on his bike, start it up, and speed past Nightwing knocking him on his ass. Nightwing watched him drive of down the road.

Dick was not looking forward to going back to Batman empty handed. He clutched his head and looked around casually, that's when he noticed the phosphorescent blue goo on the ground, the very source of Blindside's greatest power pooling on the ground. Nightwing picked himself up and walked over to it, he pulled a vile out of on of the pockets in his suit and collected a good portion of it. He examined the goo closely; it still retained its eerie glow. As he studied it one thought passed through his mind. That he wasn't so empty handed now.

Blindside drove his bike up into a dark secluded alleyway, he kicked down the stand and shut it off, he could feel pain in his body from the nights encounters. Slipping off one of his clawed gloves he reached around his back. The wetness from the blood and goo covered his hand. He brought his hand back around and used it to spin the ring on his other palm and shut down the blue glow, everything went black and the goo stopped seeping out of the broken tube.

He looked around the alleyway, cast in the pale glow of the moonlight. In the distance the towers of Gotham loomed over, casting shadows along city blocks. What the hell was it about this city Blindside wondered to himself, keeping the pain of his open wound in the back of his mind. Such an unassuming, if decaying metropolis being such a hub for justice and crime was a kin to having someone with split personalities. A seamless duality. Blindside just shook his head and mounted his bike again. He roared up the engine and looked distant down the ally way. Throttling the bike twice he mumbled

"Fuck Gotham" and sped off.

Chapter 5

Far from Gotham, in the sunny city of Cartagena, Colombia a man waited on the patio lounge of a small café for a very important meeting. His name was Mr. Pim, a very well connected associate of some very important people. He sat at the Café enjoying a cup of their finest ground, occasionally glancing down at his gold Rolex. Quarter to twelve. He looked up at the large man approaching. Just on time. The man with the powerful frame carrying a rather non-discrete looking briefcase was non other then the "Club" himself Eddie Mallow.

The two greeted each other with a strong handshake and a light "Morning". Mallow cut straight to the task at hand.

"Is the shipment ready?" his voice was gravely and unsettling, like as if a monster in a well trimmed human suit sat there, and not a man. Mr. Pim nodded slightly. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a thin brown envelope.

"Inside is all the information you will need, we have taken care of customs and the police. You'll have a 2 hour window between when the ship docks and when Harbor patrol will resume. That should be enough to get the merchandise loaded onto the appropriate trucks and out of Gotham." Mr. Pim explained in full detail, trying to make it as clear as possible that he had done his job.

"Good" Muttered Mallow maliciously. Mr. Pim tsk'd his lips and began to rub his hair. He had a little trepidation of what he would say next.

"But there's a _problem_" Immediately Mallow's eyes jolted up to meet Mr. Pim's. He looked very displeased. Mr. Pim continued. "My sources in Gotham tell me that our old friend is back snooping around, causing some trouble. And with all the noise the "Ghost" is making, I don't think we will be able to slip this in under the Bat's nose anymore" Mallow began to chuckle, much to Mr. Pim's surprise.

"You do not think that I had planned for this. Blindside has been in my business for 2 years now, always one step behind my every move. I swear I must have wronged him in another life, maybe I killed his kitten" Mallow chuckled at his own sense of wit, as cold and detached as it was. "I have a plan that will be set into motion with a single phone call" Mr. Pim leaned over the table.

"What plan!" he demanded to know. Mallow reached over and grabbed Mr. Pim by his dangling tie, pulling him almost across the table.

"I hired a man who gets things done, and is no stranger to Gotham city, or the Bat!" He threw Mr. Pim back into his seat. Mr. Pim sat there and thought about what Mallow had just said, after a few seconds it hit him.

"No, he's a killer, a monster"

"So am I" reassured Mallow in a subtle whisper. Mr. Pim sat back in his seat and heaved a sigh. "Don't worry Pim, everything is handled, and by the time _Bane_ is done with our troubles, all this will just be an afterthought". _Bane_, Mr. Pim thought to himself. If ever someone had come close to representing all the collective hate and malevolence in this world it was he. A beast in a black mask, powered by a cocktail of steroids and hormones aptly named "Venom". However if there was one thing more to fear then Bane's strength it was his intelligence. Bane was very smart, something he used with almost as much ferocity as he used his unyielding might. If he had been set on Blindside's path, then it would take a miracle to save him. Bane wouldn't rest until he crushed the ghost's head in his hand.

Bruce worked away tirelessly in the Batcave, only taking brief pauses to sip from the bowl of hot soup that Alfred had prepared for him. Perched in front of his computer, the giant monitor hovering over him displaying countless lines of information at a steady pace. He scanned it all.

Tim Drake stepped cautiously down the long stone stairway that leads from the Clock entrance in Wayne manor to the dark cave below. He spotted Bruce at the Bat-computer.

"Man I knew Space Invaders was an addicting game, but you have to go outside sometime!" he cracked sarcastically, Bruce continued to type away.

"I'm going through national police records for any crimes linked to Eddie Mallow and cross referencing potential victims with the physical criteria that matches Blindside" he stated flatly in that same matter of fact tone that had made him a living ledged.

"And…?" Young Tim jumped in. Bruce looked over his shoulder and flashed a half smile across his face.

"Eddie Mallow has made enough enemies to create a Justice League of vigilantes fixated on his capture," exclaimed Bruce in a half light tone, Tim laughed aloud. Bruce turned back to the computer in time to see a line of data on the screen start flashing. He paused for a moment to read it. He scanned over the line twice, making sure there was no mistake about it. "Computer, access all files pertaining to "The Sapphire House" Robin immediately came over to the Computer and stood beside Bruce, trying to analyze the same data he was. Bruce typed into the large keyboard and an old newspaper article from the Chicago Harold filled the giant screen. The headline read, "Sapphire House in flames – Police suspect arson"

"What is it?" asked Tim, unable to hold in his curiosity any longer. Bruce answered in Batman's voice.

"6 Years ago the Sapphire art house burned to the ground, police believed it was a punishment by the Mob, for the Sapphire house's owner and creator Alan Griffin's refusal to half the rights of the house to Kingpin Albert Taluca. Eddie Mallow was a known enforcer in the Taluca crime family at the time, and the lead suspect in the arson"

"So what, what do a bunch of painters and some old guy have to do with Blindside?" Tim shot back, in the brief pause that made it seem like Bruce had stopped talking. Bruce continued.

"Not painters Tim, The Sapphire house wasn't an art gallery, it was a recital hall. The house was home to the Angel's Horn Ballet troop" Bruce's words were somewhat of a shock to Tim, who quickly became confused.

"Ballet as in frilly pink Tutus and 12 year old girls?" Tim's wit was never ending.

"Ballet takes a great deal of physical control and strength, Ballet dancers perform acrobatics that are often only rivaled by circus performers" Bruce never failed to surprise Tim with his knowledge and detective skills.

"So Blindside is a Ballet dancer?" Bruce continued to scan the article on the screen. He spotted something in the middle. Leaning in closer he began to read aloud.

"The fire claimed a solitary victim. Samantha Hill's body was discovered amongst the wreckage. The 25-year-old ballet dancer was discovered in a second floor office dead from smoke inhalation. The remaining 3 members of the troop Jason Scott Moss, Rebecca Ann Peters, and Alex Madsen were highly distraught at the news" Bruce looked down at the picture, it showed the 2 people on the curb covered in ash, a man in his mid twenties holding a girl who seemed about the same age. Below the picture a caption read, "Not pictured Alex Vector" Bruce continued to read the article. "Alex Madsen received 3rd and second degree burns in the fire during an attempt to locate his troop mate. Unsuccessful he was carried out of the building by fire rescue. He is now in stable condition at Faith Memorial" Bruce pondered for a moment.

Typing on the keyboard one last time he punched in the name "Alex Madsen". The computer clinked and ticked a few times and a picture appeared on the screen. That of Alex Madsen … Blindside

Blindside drove down the long Gotham road on his bike, fast against the wind. He had taken the day to repair the damage to his suit and body. As he drove down the street he only kept a instinctive scope on his surrounding, his immediate thought more preoccupied with what to him was a larger thought. Wrapping both of his steely claws around Mallow's neck and squeezing it until he heard every bone snap and every piece of flesh crush. It was thoughts like that that gave him his only comfort. The only thing, next to the luminescent gel in his suit that kept him warm.

The tight roar of the super bike echoed off of the walls of the large gothic brick buildings lining the slum. He twisted the throttle and sped quicker, streaking a blue tail of light off the rims of the bike. He flew faster down the road, he was planning on heading down to the docks to scope out were a ship could be coming in but he had to drive across Gotham to get there. He wanted to make good time, if he did then maybe he could get ahead of the night and….

A sudden crush to the upper body blew him off the bike, like as if he had hit a brick wall or rather as if a brick wall had hit him. Instantly he felt a few ribs crack and his jaw dislocate as he fell harshly to the ground, his bike continuing down the road. The bike began to wobble and the tumble in a spectacular disintegration. Splinters of carbon fiber and metal flew everywhere. Both wheels bent and twisted and everything not welded scattered in different directions. Blindside didn't fare as well.

Gasping he slowly climbed to his feet, holding his chest tightly. He looked up but only saw, black. Was he himself blind? No in reality what he was looking at was a massive black cloth, in the form of a muscle shirt. The shirt was stretched over the unimaginably huge torso of a rather moody South American. Blindside looked up higher to see two red eyes staring back from an ominous Mexican wrestlers mask.

"I must apologize for my interruption" Bane exclaimed in a slight Spanish accent, carried in an understated tone through a pair of jagged sharp teeth. The tube connecting from the back of his head to the bracelet on his right had kept a steady flow of venom pumping straight to his brain. "However it was imperative that we must meet as I am an admirer of yours señor"

"Charmed" choked out Blindside in a raspy gurgle. Bane dipped his head.

"Indeed" he then backhanded Blindside across his chest and sent him flying across the street into the wall of an adjacent apartment building. As he impacted, a resident of that building opened her window, which was placed right next to were Blindside had landed. She looked over at the fallen ghost, then over at the approaching giant. Fearful she immediately shut her window and went back inside. Bane walked over and picked Blindside up like a child picks up a small puppy, if that child's intention was to rip that small puppy into several unidentifiable pieces. Bane held Blindside up to his face, seeing how close he was Blindside took the opportunity to smash his face into banes with all the force he could muster. Bane fell back and released his grip. As he fell Blindside slashed at Bane's torso, ripping open his shirt and drawing an indiscriminant amount of blood.

"Ahhhh!!!" Bane screamed deeply at the cuts. Enraged he decided to kick it up a little bit. After recovering his footing he stepped back. "Now we do it my way!" he exclaimed, his voice taking a menacing tone. He reached down to his large mechanical bracelet and turned up a knob located in the center of the device. The deep pulsing sound of the Venom surging to his brain filled Blindside's ears. Then, like a biblical monster Bane began to grow, blue veins popping up underneath his skin. Grunting he grabbed Blindside and threw him back across the street, smashing him into another brick wall. Blindside fell to the ground, blood oozing from the section of his mask were his mouth was. His arm felt shattered, a dull throbbing pain that creped around his body, shooting occasionally to his spine. He took his two fingers and depressed the flash orb in his palm, but before he could let it build up Bane was on top of him. He grabbed the hand Blindside's orb was in and closed it tightly in his fist. Blindside released his two fingers and the muffled flash only released a few beams of light between Bane's massive fingers. He threw Blindsides hand back to him. Picking him up Bane took his other hand and punched Blindside in the face, knocking loose a few back teeth and rendering him almost unconscious. He dropped Blindside back down to the street.

Lying there, pooling in his own blood Blindside had one option, try and get away or he would be dead in a matter of minutes. Unfortunately all he could do was crawl along the concrete street on his hands. Bane just watched and smiled.

"How the mighty always end up crawling before my feet," he exclaimed with great pleasure at his own accomplishment. Inch by inch Blindside gained some distance on Bane, however he couldn't keep up that pace much longer. Just as he was about to collapse and give in his hand fell on the leathery tip of a black boot. With what little strength he had left he looked up at the dark figure above him, leathery cape flowing in the wind. "Ah, how my night just gets better and better" Bane relished the thought of a fight with Batman, his one true equal.

"Bane!" Batman growled fiercely, the sound of leather rubbing as he clenched his fists. Batman looked down at the broken Blindside at his feet clawing for help. "Don't worry, I'll make this quick" Batman addressed him, stepping over towards Bane.

"Ah quick it shall be indeed, for when I crush you I wi…" Bane's boasts were knocked short by a few choice blows to the kidneys and ribs. He grunted in pain and stumbled backward, Batman didn't lay off. Continuing his assault he kicked to the jaw, punched to the liver, kidney, and another kick to the kneecaps. Bane drank blood, his own. Tumbling to the ground he stopped his fall at the expense of his wrists. CRUNCH!!… Every bone shattered creating unimaginable pain. Bane tried to scream, but ended up gurgling on his own blood.

Reaching into one of the large pockets on his mustard yellow belt Batman pulled out a small switchblade. He grabbed hold of the large tube protruding from Bane's skull to his wrist. A quick flick of the hand and the tube cut in two, spreading a viscous yellow ooze down Bane's back, instantly Bane reduced in size by half.

Batman walked back to Blindside, he picked him up and hauled him over to the closely parked Batmobile. Blindside climbed into the passenger seat, Batman followed by jumping into the driver's seat. He fired up the jet-powered car and slid the cockpit shut. Before Batman could make it down the street Blindside passed out.

Batman took him back to the Batcave, as soon as he drove up to the platform he opened the cockpit and screamed for Alfred.

"Alfred!" the faithful butler came running down the large stone steps. He saw Batman dragging the broken Blindside out of the side seat of the car. Alfred ran down and helped him carry Blindside over to a nearby fully outfitted hospital bed, an appliance that got much use in the Batcave. They flopped him down. Alfred grabbed a pair of cloth scissors from a surgical tray and was about to cut Blindside's shirt off when Batman grabbed his hand. "Wait!" he commanded, Alfred stopped.

Batman picked up Blindside's hand and inspected the orb with the surrounding ring. He started to twist the ring, seeing that it dimmed the lights in the suit, he twisted it until he heard a click. The blue gel went dark and hard. He nodded to Alfred who started to cut away at his shirt.

He sliced through the cloth and crunched through the tubes. When he had successfully split it he opened it to show Blindside's blue and black torso. Large bruises spread across his pecks and stomach. Batman wasn't looking at that though, he was staring into Blindside's cold blue eyes, now darkened. With one swift motion he grabbed the top of the mask and lifted it off his head.

Underneath was the bloody face of Alex Madsen. Alfred was inspecting his breathing with a stethoscope, slightly labored but continuous. He lifted his head and stepped back from the table.

"More then his share of broken bones and a nice bruised Kidney, but he'll be fine," exclaimed Alfred in that dry British tone.

"Any reason to call Leslie?" Batman asked, referring to Dr. Leslie Tompkins, long time friend of Bruce's father and Batman's personal physician.

"I don't see why, I've patched _you_ up with worse" Alfred flipped back, calling into talent his never ending British wit. "No I suspect that after this young man has a few days of rest he will be ready to fight the good fight once more" Alfred's choice of words stirred an anger in the Bat. Blindside wasn't fighting any good fight, he was just trying to fulfill a personal vendetta; he didn't have any concept of Justice. Just revenge.

Chapter 6

Blindside slept away the next 4 days in the safety of the Batcave, under the constant watch of Alfred, occasionally visited by Barbara, Dick, Tim, and the Bat himself. Batman seemed more interested in the sample of Blindside's luminescent gel that Nightwing had brought him. It was fascinating, Glowing when it was subjected to an electrical current, not even a large one. A double A battery could power it for hours, and the more electricity you added to the gel, the brighter it glowed. When you concentrated the Gel together and added a sudden electrical jolt it would release an explosion of light. This created another question; how would Alex Madsen, a Ballet dancer from Chicago have access to this kind of technology.

Batman heard the sound of exhausted grunting behind him. Blindside was coming to. Batman quickly stood up and walked away into the shadows. Groaning from the general soreness of his body. As Blindside waited for his eyes to adjusted to the darkness. He looked down to see all the sensors attached to his body, and began to pull them off one by one. Sitting up in the bed he looked around the large Cave. That's when he remembered getting into the Batmobile. Was he really in the Batman's lair? He lifted off the small blanket covering his legs. He was dressed in a pair of green hospital scrubs. Barefooted he climbed out of the bed, having to prop himself up as his feet hit the cold stone floor. Stumbling he approached the large computer screen, seeing the data it had displayed. Batman had been studying all about him. Blindside held himself up with the back of the chair in front of the Bat-computer.

"He knows everything about me" he exclaimed in a soft whisper.

"Not quite!" Blindside jumped as a voice emanated from the shadows. He turned around to see Batman emerge. "what I want to know is how you got the technology to power your suit, the Bike, the EMP discs"

"Easy… I stole it" Blindside boasted " I got the Bike from an impound lot. I built the Bangs from money I stole from Drug Dealers. As for the gel… for 2 years I traveled from place to place, no particular destination just trying to get away. I came across this guy, a basement scientist so to speak. Anyway he said he developed this new bioluminescent Gel, made from petroleum jelly, seawater, and some new chemical called "Prothezine". He showed me all it could do, and I had an epiphany. That ever happen to you, you'll be staring at something and just know that it would change your life forever" what Blindside just said brought Bruce back, to when he was a little boy staring at a Bat that had crashed through the dining room window. He snapped himself back to the present.

"You steal that from him to!" Batman exclaimed. Covering his growing empathy for Blindside with more anger.

"No" Blindside expressed calmly "I just told him all that had happened. Told him how a bunch thugs had burned down something that was so special to me and others, and in the process killed… murdered someone so special to me" it still hurt to talk about it, Blindside became physically distressed. Batman looked at him coldly, hiding the sympathy he felt.

"So you started hunting the one person you placed as the source of all your anger and pain" Batman walked over to the computer and hit a single keystroke, a picture of Mallow appeared.

"Yes!" Blindside gritted. "I was happy once and he took it all away with the strike of a match!. For two years I have been hunting him down, tailing leads, interrogating suspects. He has been my soul focus, my only reason for living. I have killed him a hundred times over in my mind. And as soon as comes into Gotham on that ship, his life will be mine"

"Don't count on it!" shot back Batman "your not going anywhere, I'll give the police all the information about the shipment and Mallow will go to jail"

"No!!!" in a fit of rage Blindside flung over the chair he was using to prop himself up. "I guarantee those cops won't get within mile of Mallow and the shipment. He'll have that place tighter then NORAD. All you'll be doing is throwing away the lives innocent cops" Batman thought of Detectives Renee Montoya, Harvey Bullock and Commissioner Gordon… Jim. He couldn't risk their lives.

"Then will let him go, catch him later" Batman didn't really believe that, but he couldn't let Blindside just go on a killing spree.

"Do you have any idea what he's bringing in?" Blindside stated coldly "I'll give you a hint, there manufactured by factories all over South America, fire on average 200 bullets a minute, and if they hit the streets… will kill thousands"

"Guns" Batman whispered to himself. Blindside nodded.

"Yeah, the big kind. He's trying to break into business for himself and will make millions off of the sale of these guns. there built by the factories of some very rich and powerful people in South America so they have _no_ serial numbers, _no_ registry. They are 100% untraceable and come in any model fit to kill. They'll be the must own item of the year" Batman understood what had to be done. The shipment had to be stopped and Mallow had to be captured.

"Listen, Batman. You know Gotham Harbor, I know Eddie Mallow. As much as it pains me to say this, I need your help. You have the equipment and the men" Blindside talked in a way that sounded less like begging, and more like a business proposition. " It's not just abut me and him anymore, there are larger things at steak" Batman pondered over the situation for a moment, quickly coming to a decision.

"Fine, but we do it my way. You follow my orders when I give them, I have no room for reckless vigilante's" Batman commanded. Blindside bathed in the irony but ultimately had no choice but to agree.

"Ok" he looked around the massive Cave, scanning all the platforms and pieces of equipment. "So I guess I got some work to do".

The next few days were a hectic blur of training, repairs, and planning. Blindside started out bringing his body back up to peak performance. Training for hours at a time to regain his balance, agility, and strength. He ran laps to re-strengthen his legs, walked balance beams, and ran Batman's personal obstacle course. He trained until he felt he was ready.

The next course of business was to repair the damage done to his costume. Using the leather fabricators and rubber molds that Batman used to sculpt his fearsome façade, Blindside was able to built a costume ten times better then one he could have possibly made using a sewing machine and a cheap motel. Having worked in the costume department early in his performance career he new his way around the equipment. By the time he was done black leather and steel claws replaced the old skintight spandex and rubber hose.

Blindside was putting some finishing touches on his costume, he was alone in the Batcave as Batman and his dark knights were out on patrol. Batman had staked out the harbor a few times, but couldn't take time off his normal duties to baby-sit it. So Blindside sat, working on the flash orb in his gauntlet. He flopped the glove down on the table in frustration. Rubbing the back of his neck he exhaled and looked around the room, noticing the glinting pieces of metal on a nearby wall. Batman's trademark Batarangs.

Curious he got up out of his chair and strolled over to them. He lifted one of the wall and examined it. It seemed light enough, for what it was made of. Bouncing it in his hand he decided to give it a shot and threw the Batarang with as much skill as he could manage. It flew off into the dark, whipped around and flew past the stunned Blindside, eventually landing at the base of the large stone staircase.

Blindside walked over to retrieve it. He bent down to pick it up and noticed the long stairwell. Glancing up he saw the small beams of light cracking through what appeared to be a doorway. He began to step up it. Getting closer and closer to the door his heart began to beat faster until he was there. He felt the smooth metal doorway, no knob or handle. He ran his hands up and down until he felt a small button near the base. He pressed it and stepped back as the sound of gears clicking emerged from the doorway. The steel door slid open smoothly.

Blindside stepped through into what was, to his surprise a rather elegant looking main hall. A large carved wooded stairway wrapped around to a second floor. Under his feet was a plush red area carpet over mahogany wood floors. The door slid shut behind him, Blindside turned around to see an old grandfather clock where the entrance to the Batcave used to be. Cautiously Blindside began to walk through the large Manor.

He went from the main hall into a large dining room with a table so long it looked like something fit for the King of England. A large bay window peered out over rocky cliff face on the edge of the ocean. Blindside continued through. Entering a huge living room he spotted a fire burning in a wide stone fireplace. He walked over. The light of the flames danced off the walls, causing the shadow behind Blindside to leap higher. The flame's light cast an ominous glow on a large Oil Painting hanging above. It was a portrait of a couple. In the painting they were smiling, however the flames cast a shadow over there faces that made them look like they were crying. The grey haired man in the painting seemed very distinguished, like he was a very important man. Perhaps a politician, or _doctor_. Glinting from the flames was a small gold plate on the bottom of the frame. He read the inscription "Dr. Thomas and Martha Wayne"

"Wayne?" Blindside whispered to himself, pondering. A shadow approached him from behind.

"A fine gentleman if ever there was one" Blindside spun around to see the slender well-groomed British man with a neatly trimmed mustache. He walked past Blindside and stared at the painting.

"Wayne?" asked Blindside to Alfred "As in _Bruce_ Wayne? As in CEO of Wayne enterprises and billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne?" Alfred nodded his head.

"Why? Why would a man who has everything spend his nights out fighting the kind of scum that's beneath him?" Blindside's question had merit, for someone who had no clue.

"Simple my dear boy" Alfred answered back in his calm British demeanor "because _you_ aren't the only person to have lost someone close to you" Alfred looked back at the painting. Blindside remembered the story.

"They were killed weren't they? Shot or something?" Alfred bowed his head and turned back to Blindside. If ever there was someone betters then Batman at hiding his emotions it was Alfred Pennyworth.

"I'm afraid so. It was just a simple robbery in an ally way. Young Bruce was no more then a child when he saw them taken. Sometimes I try to imagine what is was like, for an innocent child to see his own Mother and Father gunned down over a string of pearls. However I always find myself falling short" Alfred's face displayed a solemn sadness. "However, unlike _you_, he had no face to put to the crime, so stalks all crime. He has made a vow never to let anything out of his control again. I do suppose that's why you vex him so" Blindside took a back.

"Excuse me?" he asked in a stunned confusion. Alfred exhaled and continued.

"Well, because you come to Gotham city. A City that is much his as this house is. You come on your own personal vendetta, ready to burn it to the ground over one man. With Batman, it's never just about _one _man. You represent a level of selfishness that Batman has built his life away from. Batman, and the young people who follow him would gladly sacrifice their lives to save Tens, Hundreds, Thousands" Alfred began to walk past Blindside; he stopped at the door and turned his head back. "What you must ask yourself is if you would do the same?"

Alfred's words stabbed deep into his soul. What had he been doing, all the pain he had suffered through, all the blood he had bled. All this sorrow over one man. And what if he finally did catch Mallow, and squeezed the life out of him. What then? What would he have to show? This obsession had been a part of him for so long, that he couldn't imagine a life without it. Blindside slinked back to the Batcave. He had some thinking to do, for the first time in a long time.

The rumble and whine of the Batmobile's massive V12 Jet boosted engine approached up the long steel internal roadway of the expansive Batcave. Blindside sat in one of the stone thrones littering the cave. He watched as the Batmobile parked in its usual place and Batman and Robin exited. Blindside could hear Robin boasting about the nights events, no doubt over exaggerating the heroism on his part. Batman stood silent and walked along side his minor-only-in-age sidekick. As they were walking to the changing rooms, Batman spotted the solemn Alex Madsen sitting alone in the dark, much the same way Batman himself spent a few of his darker moments.

"Go on ahead Robin" he commanded, Tim shrugged and continued on. Batman walked over to Alex. "Magnificent view" The Bat exclaimed, referring to the large cavern the throne overlooked. Blindside nodded his head.

"What do you think about Vengeance?" His question was something that Batman had thought of himself many times. Batman gave the one answer he could think of.

"I think that it's a dangerous thing, it can consume lives, destroy families, hurt innocent people" Batman spoke softer then usual, no one could ever accuse him of being a father figure, or even a stable person. But he was in a way wise beyond his years. He continued, "However, it can also give purpose, hope, inspiration. Breed new life, into what was once a dead shell" Batman's words were more meaningful then the tone they were delivered in, however Blindside still had one question to ask.

"Do you think, that with all the people you have helped, the crimes you have stopped… Do you think that your parents death had a purpose?" Batman's heat skipped two beats, one for the fact that Blindside new who he was, and the other for the question it's self. Bruce exhaled softly. He placed his hand over the nose of the cowl and peeled it back reveling his face. He dropped his hands to his side and closed his eyes.

"I can still see that night, every time I close my eyes" he opened his eyes again and looked at Alex. "You ask if I think that I was destined for this life? That there was no way I could ever _just_ be Bruce Wayne? I can't answer that question, in fact I don't think I _ever_ will be able to. But I do know one thing. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is be a victim. I've waged war so long, been a hero so long that sometimes I forget what I'm fighting for. But then I look around and see all that I have done, all the people who alive because of me and I know it's worth it. Then I see someone like you, who has lost so much as well and I know that I have to keep fighting, so that no one would ever have to share the pain that you and I… and so many other's have suffered" Batman gave almost this entire speech to Dick once, when he was about to dawn the cape of Robin, and some day he would give it to Tim. However there was great deal of meaning behind it for Batman, it wasn't just some speech; it was his belief system. This was his Christianity. He had paid his dues to the church of Vengeance, and come out a god in everyone's eyes but his own.

"You've dedicated your life to defending the defenseless, but I haven't. I've spent the past few years on a linear search for one man, never letting anything stand in my way. All this power at my finger tips and I have helped nobody but myself" Bruce put his hand on Alex's shoulder. Then he spoke words that would forever change his life.

"It's never to late" Alex looked up at him, Bruce had a subtle smile; so subtle that if you were to look back you would wonder if it was a figment of your imagination. "Now, lets get ready, tomorrow night is gonna be very important" Batman was referring to the fact that tomorrow Mallow's ship came into dock, and it was up to them alone to stop him. Both Batman and Blindside knew that they were gonna have to raise hell to do it.

Chapter 7

Batman gathered the gang up early, just before sun set. Batgirl, Robin, and Nightwing all met at the cave to go over the plan with Batman and Blindside. Batman had a large map of Gotham harbor laid out on a table. He went over the plan.

"Ok, Mallow is gonna have this shipment heavily protected, that means he's likely to have squads positioned here, here, and here" he circled sections of the harbor with a small marker. The circled area's created a neat parameter around the dock. " He's likely to have solders on random patrol inside the parameter, as well as with the shipment it's self. So here is the plan, Robin will take the Bat-Boat and cover the harbor. Then on my signal launch two torpedo's directly into the belly of that ship"

"Cool!" Exclaimed Robin, overly excited about the prospect of getting to blow something up, Batman continued with his plan

"Batgirl will take the Batmobile up this corridor, drawing as much fire as possible from the solders and distracting them from what I have planned" Blindside interrupted

"I hope your joking, Mallow has created that bottle neck for a reason, he wants any enemy to have to come up that corridor. He planes on using it as a death ally, if Batgirl goes in there she'll come out the other end in a hundred pieces"

"You've obviously never seen what the Batmobile can do!" boasted Batgirl with a chuckle. Batman let that speak as the answer. His next set of directions was for Blindside himself.

"You will take one of the Batcycles and join Nightwing in a blitz run through enemy lines, taking out as many as you can. I'll airlift you in from the Batwing, and then I'll have it drop me off inside the parameter at a chosen destination" Blindside nodded in agreement with Batman's plan.

"Ok" he exclaimed "Mallow is gonna want to stay close to the guns, I'll find him and them before they start loading up the trucks, once we get that boat clear, we'll sink it into the harbor" Batman nodded. He stood up straight and gave the command.

"Everybody to your vehicles, and remember to stay fast, and stay alive" Blindside chuckled and ran his clawed hand over the leather of his mask.

"Well, this should be plenty fun" he quipped.

Robin went down the bat cave's dock were the black cigarette style jet boat was moored. The cockpit opened in the same fashion as the batmobile and he climbed in. He had driven the Bat-boat a few times, but it took him a second to find the start up button.

"Ah" he exclaimed and flicked the small red toggle in the center of the dash. A HUD display appeared. He grabbed the throttle, pushed it foreword and accelerated out of the dock with a massive jet wave of water.

Batgirl also fired up the Batmobile and accelerated down the long steel road. Blindside and Nightwing mounted there bikes and rolled them into two massive steel containers resembling a missile or bomb. The containers were mounted to either wing of the Batman's black jet. The Containers secured behind the two men and Batman began to push forward on the throttle. The jet whistled and lifted off the ground, the shot down the long runway. It traveled faster and faster, coming to a large bay door that was shaped like Batman's own emblem. It opened just wide enough for the plane to fly through. The Batwing was outside the Manor and traveling up the coast towards the Harbor.

The ship blew its whistle as it came into dock. Solders from on board the deck of the ship threw ropes over to Solders on the dock who grabbed them and moored the ship down. A large staircase rolled up to the vessel and docked with a doorway on the side of its rusty hull. When the stairwell was secure the doorway opened and out stepped Mallow. He looked around, in awe of his own operation. Mr. Pim followed behind him.

"I have to admit this is quite impressive Mallow" He exclaimed. Looking over the dozens of solders armed to the teeth. " I think it's safe to say that your shipment is pretty securely protected" no sooner did the words leave Mr. Pim's when did the harbor alarm sounded and the solder's began to run towards the bottlenecked corridor. Mallow turned back to Mr. Pim and scowled like a beast.

Batgirl laid on the gas as she drove down the corridor. Bullets bounced off the steel skin of the Batmobile, creating a sound similar to hail on a tin roof. She screamed a little every time a stray bullet from the machine gun fire of the solders shooting at her bounced of the narrow glass of the window. Still she kept it going as fast as she could.

A solder on a roof over looking the corridor grabbed a long metal box from a small pile of arms near him. He opened it up showing a Rocket Propelled Grenade launcher. He clipped the RPG in and aimed it down at the oncoming Batmobile. Batgirl saw him on the roof's ledge aiming the RPG at her. Quickly she reached down and flipped a switch on the Batmobile's dash. A small panel on the hood of the Batmobile rotated open showing 3 small rockets. When the man launched the RPG at her one of the rockets automatically fired and connected with the RPG in mid-air. The following explosion engulfed the corridor, Batgirl winced, shut her eyes and powered through.

She couldn't see anything through the engulfing fire but she never laid off the gas. The fire spread over the car peeling a little of the black paint and causing parts of the metal of the car to glow red hot and distort but at the end the Batmobile came through the corridor mostly intact.

She hit the breaks and spun the lengthy car 230 degrees. She breathed a sigh of relief, but it was shot lived. She saw through the window that the car was being advanced upon by dozens of solders. She raised her eyebrow and smirked on her face. Flicking another switch on the dash a steel orb came out from the side of the Batmobile. It dropped and rolled along the ground, the men watched it intently. Finally the orb stopped and it began to spray a thick smog into the air.

Unable to see a foot in front of there hands the men stumbled around, eventually collapsing as the sleep agent took effect. The men not in range of the sleep agent had their focus intently placed on the thick cloud of smog surrounding the Batmobile. They didn't hear the tight whine of two motorcycle engines until it was to late. Blindside and Nightwing leaped from the small building behind the men. They landed their bikes in the crowd of troops, incapacitating a few of them. The two hero's jumped up, Blindside with his nun-chucks, and Nightwing with his two fighting sticks. They quickly attacked, giving no one a chance to fire on them. In a flurry of strikes and blows men collapsed to the ground, and in a matter of minutes Blindside and Nightwing defeated them all. They were about to congratulate each other when the heard the cocking of guns behind them. Turning around slowly they saw that a small group of men had their guns trained right on them. The group was standing on a wooden dock. Behind them Robin appeared from the depths in the shimmering Batboat. He flicked a toggle and a cable shot out of the front of the craft and wrapped around the supporting pillar of the dock. He floored it into reverse and ripped the dock out from under them. The men fell into the water and started struggling to swim. Blindside and Nightwing both breathed a sigh of relief, they continued down the harbor.

The large Batwing whistled loudly as it hovered over the deck of the ship. The bottom of the cockpit slid open and Batman fell out. He landed on the deck of the ship. The Batwing hovered overhead for a moment then took off to find a safe landing point.

Batman pulled out a small flashlight and began to search the large crates on the deck of the ship. They were unmarked. As he walked past one he felt a shadow move. He stopped and looked behind him at the looming monster.

"Bain" Batman growled with slight surprise. Bane bellowed. He was fully healed from their last battle and ready to fight again.

"This time I get a head start!" he reached down and turned up the knob on his Venom dispenser. The throbbing tube flowed the vile yellow ooze into his skull and he grew increasingly larger. His muscles bulged and his blood pumped like oil. The act would kill a lesser man, but only made Bane stronger. "Now we finish it!" he screamed

back on the dock Blindside and Nightwing moved about looking for Mallow. That's when Nightwing saw Mr. Pim running furiously away. He was about to rush after him when the sound of screeching tires appeared and a large truck came crashing through a wooden warehouse door. Mallow was at the wheel.

"You stop the small guy!" ordered Blindside, Nightwing nodded and ran after Mr. Pim, Blindside looked at the oncoming white brinks truck "I'll take care of Mallow!" he announced, purely for his own self gratification.

Mallow saw the Blue Ghost, the thing that had been the bain of his life for the past to years. He stepped on the gas and aimed for Blindside. Blindside crouched, waiting for the perfect moment. The truck approached fast, and at the last moment Blindside leaped off the ground and landed on the hood of the truck with a heavy thud. He pressed his palm against the window, the blue fluid surged to the orb and when it was ready he pulled it back and the Flash fired. Mallow tried to cover his eyes but it was to late. The flash blinded him. He steered wildly trying to knock Blindside off, but only succeed in taking a turn to hard and flipping the truck onto its side, throwing Blindside off onto the asphalt.

Back on the deck of the ship Batman and Bain were locked in a fierce fight. Bain clobbered Batman to the head, splitting his lip. Blood poured down his chin. He wiped it away and charged at Bain, kicking him in the ribs. Batman felt like his blows were just rolling off Bain's colossal body. He charged him one last time. Bain grabbed the Bat and locked him in a crushing bear hug. Batman felt his ribs compress and break. Bain felt the Bat's body go slightly limp so he dropped him to the deck. Batman landed with a smacking THUD on his arm. Chuckling Bain lifted up a large crate. He held it over his head ready to crush Batman.

"Any last words senor?" he boasted before the kill.

"Yes" Batman reached into his utility belt and pulled out a small gun. He pointed it at Bain's head. Bain was taken aback, The Batman pointing a gun at him. how out of character. Suddenly Batman jerked the gun to the side and fired. It was a flare gun, and the burning white flare shot up into the sky.

"that's the signal!" excitedly announced Robin from the cockpit of the Batboat. He pushed the throttle forward and rushed off towards the ship, at the last moment he swerved to the right and fired off two torpedoes.

The deck of the ship erupted in a storm of fire. Bane was knocked back, dropping the crate beside Batman. He stumbled around as the ship quaked and convulsed. Then suddenly as he went to step back the floor gave way and he fell into a fiery chasm. Batman quickly jumped to his feet and rushed off the ship. Leaping from the edge just as the deck collapsed into a fiery pit.

Blindside slowly regained his senses. He stumbled to his feet and looked over at the wrecked truck, front tire still spinning. he walked over to the cab and looked in the windshield. Mallow was gone.

The blow to his head came from behind. Mallow had struck him with a steal rod, knocking the Blue Ghost to his knees.

"DIE!!" he shouted as he began to throttle Blindside with the steel rod. Mallow was bleeding from his eyebrow and mouth. However he did not feel the pain as the adrenalin rushed through his body. He had Blindside on the ground and was about to strike him in the face when a Steely claw grabbed the rod and ripped it out of his hand. Blindside climbed to his feet, he wrapped his claw around Mallow's head. A bright flash exploded from his palm, it was the last thing Mallow would ever see. The mighty "Club" fell to the ground whimpering about how he was blind. Blindside didn't care, he picked him up and punched him in the face repeatedly.

"You son of a bitch!!" he screamed as he pummeled the man into the next world. He let him go and Mallow fell to the ground. Blindside then flipped him over and wrapped both his sharp claws around his neck, he was bout to start squeezing when he heard a protest behind him.

"Blindside stop!!!" Batman screamed, limping towards him. Blindside looked over his shoulder.

"Don't take this from me Bruce!!!" he shouted in anger "I have been thinking about this day for 2 years and nothing will take it away"

"Alex, don't… don't throw everything away, all you've become" Batman said softly, walking over. He placed his hand on Blindside's shoulder and exclaimed "all you can become" Blindside tried to squeeze down, but he felt himself holding back. After a pause he finally released the unconscious Mallow.

Batman heard the approaching police sirens. He helped Blindside to his feet and the two helped each other walk off. They meet the rest of the gang back at a rooftop overlooking the Harbor, out of view of the police who had come to arrest those culpable for bring a vast amount of illegal arms to Gotham.

Blindside watched the blue and red lights from a distance, next to Nightwing, Robin, Batgirl… and Batman. He turned to look at them. Not a bad group of people, certainly someone could keep worse company.

"So what will you do now?" asked Batgirl curious about Blindside's future.

"I don't know" he answered back, he thought for a moment and replied "hell Gotham's not such a bad place, maybe I'll stick around" Robin and Batgirl smiled, Nightwing looked stern and Batman… well he was Batman.

"Well I better get home" Batgirl broke the silence first, Nightwing agreed and the two shot their grapnel off and swung off the rooftop and into the night. Robin, seeing that his presence was awkward to say the least decided to go return to the docked Batboat. When all others had vacated Batman approached Blindside.

"Wait, before you say anything" interrupted Blindside, trying to get what he wanted to say in first. Batman decided to allow it "I just want to sat thanks, you know what the big irony of this was? When I first decided to make a costume and secret identity, I kind of looked to you as inspiration. Of course at the time I had no idea that we would end up at each other's throats" Blindside chuckled. Batman nodded. Batman knew then, that what ever Blindside did, everything would be better for him from now on. So with that thought he decided that a small gesture would be enough.

"Good luck" Batman said softly, Blindside patted him on the shoulder and walked back toward the edge of the building. He was about to jump off when he stopped and turned back.

"Then again, I've always kind of liked Superman!" he shouted back. Batman's smile sank into a frown. Blindside tipped a salute and jumped off into the darkness.

For the next few weeks top news reporter Summer Gleeson would cover the story of how Batman, and his Dark Knights helped bring the infamous Eddie the "Club" Mallow to justice and stop a massive arms deal in the United States. She would also report on rumors of a new defender of the innocent. A Blue Ghost that, at least in the eyes of one iconic figure had earned his place among the World's Finest.

THE END


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